Kirby Run Part one and Two

Part Two Chapter Twenty-One

The two ran past Dedede, who finally managed to reach the flagpole with a heavy breath.

"You doing okay?" asked the Sugar Gnome once Dedede made it to the checkpoint, handing him his flag "You've fallen behind quite a bit, Diddi-da-di."

"Kings don't fall behind!" Dedede panted as he grabbed his flag "They are just fashionably late! Also, my name is Dedede."

"That's not what I was- nevermind."

After Dedede put up his flag- which per his request, had his logo on it- he ran off to try and catch up with the others, though they were pretty far ahead of him now.

The three kept at it, until they came to a point where the Cookie Kingdom was just up ahead. GingerBrave and Kirby were neck and neck at that moment, and once GingerBrave recognized they were getting closer, he knew this would be his chance to take the lead and win, for he was more familiar with his surroundings than Kirby was. Kirby wasn't out yet though! For he too was starting to become familiar with the area a bit, and no way was he going to slow down now!

"This is it Kirby!" GingerBrave exclaimed as the two of them got closer and closer towards the Kingdom's entrance "May the best racer win!"

"Mmhmm!"

A few miles behind them, Dedede was doing his best to catch up, but he was becoming absolutely exhausted, with his run having become more of a jog, and he watched in despair as Kirby and GingerBrave got closer to the end goal.

"Ugggghhh nooo, it's over for me." he whined to himself "Ain't no way I can make it to the end...."

As Dedede kept jogging, he gave what he just said some more thought.

"No, I can't think like that! I'm the great King Dedede! I've got others who are rooting for me! Not just my beloved Waddle Dees, but Custard Cookie III and Avocado Cookie are rooting for me too! I can't let them down!"

Dedede stared ahead at the two racers way ahead of him. "The odds of me catching up though aren't good though... But I can still try! At the very least even though I'll be last, I can still finish this race! And in order to do that, I need a drink!"

Bringing out the last soda bottle he had, Dedede took off the lid, which came off a lot easier than the other two bottles, something Dedede didn't think too much of. What did make him think though was something he noticed, and that this soda's flavor was really bizarre. It mostly tasted like cherries, but also had a bit of blueberry in it? It was a weird combo.

Despite the weirdness, it still tasted fine to him, so he drank the whole bottle. Once he was done he put the now empty bottle back in his pocket with the others, and brought forward all the energy he could to pick up the pace in his run.

Which seemed to be working, he was noticeably not running as slowly as he had been, in fact he seemed to be doing better now. He kept at it, and soon he was going much faster! A bit faster than he expected though, in fact, was he going too fast? It did fully register with him until he zipped past some bushes, he was going really fast! 

"What is happening???" Dedede alarmingly questioned as he kept going even faster "Aaaahhh!!!"

At the entrance of the Cookie Kingdom, the audience and Sugar Gnome staff had moved there after seeing via the TV that the racers were on their way back, and were now waiting for them to return and cross the finish line. Said finish line was a long ribbon being held at both ends by two Sugar Gnomes.

"They here yet? (*Hic!*)" Vampire Cookie asked.

Alchemist Cookie gave her brother a nudge. "Be patient! Give them time."